Pony questions

[Sue Brown <sbrown@wamedes.com>]

In the back of my mind I knew I was going to have to get a pony for my
lesson program.  I'm getting a fair number of kids that, altho they do well
with Blue and Blaze (@15h each), would really shine with a smaller mount.
I wasn't planning on buying one right this minute but when the right one
shows up and the price is right, you can't let them get away.  My question
relates to ponies doing serious endurance rides...how well do they do and
how much weight can they carry.  I know that this depends on the individual
pony so here are the specs for the one I hauled up from Portland last week:

Welsh/Arab (registered with good bloodlines) mare, 14h, typey Arab head but
not a severe dish, good square frame with nice conformation and great feet!
 She's 8 yo, been trained English, Western, and trail, loves to jump and
clears the top position on the cavalettis by a couple of feet.  She's built
a bit like a tank -- wide back, well sprung ribs and well structured butt
and chest muscles.  She's a bit out of shape right now but looks to be able
to pick it up fairly easily.   She has thick hoof walls and decent sized
feet.  Her cannon bones measure 7 1/4.  Can you increase the cannon bone
measurement with conditioning?

What I see is a pony that could possibly carry *me* -- and I would have the
benefit of being able to mount her bareback from the ground! ;-)  My
farrier seemed to think that she would carry me with no problems...and I
fall into the heavyweight category (with tack) most of the time. :-p  (but
I am (I've been told) a pretty balanced rider.)  The reality is that she'll
*have* to carry me to some extent while I get her trained well enough to
have a youth rider on her out in the more challenging terrain in this part
of the country.  

I'd love to hear from any pony riders in the group.  Considering I've come
from a dressage/classical riding background (perpetual lower levels <g>),
I'm used to riding and handling critters of considerable size...my own
being 17.2h!  It was quite a difference when I switched to the @15h
crowd...and this new one is even shorter still!!

TIA

Sue  


sbrown@wamedes.com
Tyee Farm
Marysville, Wa.